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KING RICHARD.

Art thou, indeed?

TYRREL.

Prove me, my gracious lord.

KING RICHARD.

Dar'st'thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?

TYRREL.

Please you;

But I had rather kill two enemies.

KING RICHARD.

Why, then thou hast it. Two deep enemies,

Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep's disturbers,

Are they that I would have thee deal upon.

TYRREL, I mean those bastards in the Tower.

TYRREL.

Let me have open means to come to them,

And soon I'll rid you from the fear of them.

KING RICHARD.

Thou sing'st sweet music. Hark, come

hither, Tyrrel.

Go, by this token. Rise, and lend thine ear. [Whispers]

There is no more but so: say it is done,

And I will love thee and prefer thee for it.

TYRREL.

I will dispatch it straight. Exit

Re-enter BUCKINGHAM

BUCKINGHAM.

My lord, I have consider'd in my mind

The late request that you did sound me in.

KING RICHARD.

Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.

BUCKINGHAM.

I hear the news, my lord.

KING RICHARD.

Stanley, he is your wife's son: well, look unto it.

BUCKINGHAM.

My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise,

For which your honour and your faith is pawn'd:

Th' earldom of Hereford and the movables

Which you have promised I shall possess.

KING RICHARD.

Stanley, look to your wife; if she convey

Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.

BUCKINGHAM.

What says your Highness to my just request?

KING RICHARD.

I do remember me: Henry the Sixth

Did prophesy that Richmond should be King,

When Richmond was a little peevish boy.

A king!-perhaps-

BUCKINGHAM.

My lord-

KING RICHARD.

How chance the prophet could not at that time

Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?

BUCKINGHAM.

My lord, your promise for the earldom-

KING RICHARD.

Richmond! When last I was at Exeter,

The mayor in courtesy show'd me the castle

And call'd it Rugemount, at which name I started,

Because a bard of Ireland told me once

I should not live long after I saw Richmond.

BUCKINGHAM.

My lord-

KING RICHARD.

Ay, what's o'clock?

BUCKINGHAM.

I am thus bold to put your Grace in mind

Of what you promis'd me.

KING RICHARD.

Well, but o'clock?

BUCKINGHAM.

Upon the stroke of ten.

KING RICHARD.

Well, let it strike.

BUCKINGHAM.

Why let it strike?

KING RICHARD.

Because that like a Jack thou keep'st the stroke

Betwixt thy begging and my meditation.

I am not in the giving vein to-day.

BUCKINGHAM.

May it please you to resolve me in my suit.

KING RICHARD.

Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein.

Exeunt all but Buckingham

BUCKINGHAM.

And is it thus? Repays he my deep service

With such contempt? Made I him King for this?

O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone

To Brecknock while my fearful head is on! Exit

SCENE 3.

London. The palace

Enter TYRREL

TYRREL. The tyrannous and bloody act is done,

The most arch deed of piteous massacre

That ever yet this land was guilty of.

Dighton and Forrest, who I did suborn

To do this piece of ruthless butchery,

Albeit they were flesh'd villains, bloody dogs,

Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,

Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story.

'O, thus' quoth Dighton 'lay the gentle babes'-

'Thus, thus,' quoth Forrest 'girdling one another

Within their alabaster innocent arms.

Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,

And in their summer beauty kiss'd each other.

A book of prayers on their pillow lay;

Which once,' quoth Forrest 'almost chang'd my mind;

But, O, the devil'-there the villain stopp'd;

When Dighton thus told on: 'We smothered

The most replenished sweet work of nature

That from the prime creation e'er she framed.'

Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse

They could not speak; and so I left them both,

To bear this tidings to the bloody King.

Enter KING RICHARD

And here he comes. All health, my sovereign lord!

KING RICHARD.

Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

TYRREL.

If to have done the thing you gave in charge

Beget your happiness, be happy then,

For it is done.

KING RICHARD.

But